


Overstimulated: Writing Prompts

by PrincessStevens



Series: The Overstimulated Universe [2]
Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Graphic Description, Multi, POC Centric, Poetry, Supportive Female Friendships, WOC!Characters, Women In Power, i'll add as i go - Freeform, mentions of past emotional abuse, mentions of past physical abuse, writing prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2019-10-08 15:14:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17388749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessStevens/pseuds/PrincessStevens
Summary: Just a set of 500 - 1000 word drabbles based off a prompt list and set in my Overstimulated universe.





	1. The Prompt List

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Introduction of Sorts

Hey Y'all! It's ya girl Ash. I know that I have been slacking in updating  _Overstimulated_ but I've been going through a really bad writing rut as a result of things happening in my real life. No worries though because I have concocted a way to make my way back into writing. On my Tumblr I found a writing prompt list that I decided I would use to get back into the swing of things. I opened my inbox there for the first 10 requests and I will be sharing them with you. 

 **Before you begin reading** I would highly suggest you head over and read my fanfic [_Overstimulated_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14427609/chapters/33322851) as all of these prompts take place in that universe. Please also note that I  **am not accepting any requests on here.** Currently, my requests are closed and these have been received through my [tumblr account.](https://princessstevens.tumblr.com/) You could always pop in there to see any extra content, catch the updates of  _Overstimulated_ before they are posted here, and just generally see me bug out and act a fool. 

Again, please read  _Overstimulated_ before reading these drabbles or they may not make sense to you.

Here is the prompt list!

 _ **1.**  _ _“Do you want me to leave?”_  
**2.** “I swear it won’t happen again.”  
**3.** “I’m not jealous.”  
**4.** “You can’t keep doing this.”  
**5.** “I’m going to take care of you, okay?”  
**6.** “You can’t die. Please don’t die.”  
**7.** “You did what?!”  
**8.** “Were you ever going to tell me?”  
**9.** “Don’t ask me that.”  
**10.** “I might have had a few shots.”  
**11.** “What’s with the box?”  
**12.** “Say it!”  
**13.** “I could kiss you right now!”  
**14.** “Are you done with that?”  
**15.** “Are you still awake…?”  
**16.** “Excuse you?”  
**17.** “This is all your fault!”  
**18.** “I shouldn’t be in love with you.”  
**19.** “I could kill you right now!”  
**20.** “Just admit I’m right.”  
**21.** “That doesn’t even make sense.”  
**22.** “That’s irrational.”  
**23.** “Just pretend to be my date.”  
**24.** “Are you really going to leave without asking me the question you’ve been dying to ask me?”  
**25.** “When you love someone, you don’t just stop. Ever. Even when people roll their eyes or call you crazy… even then. Especially then!”  
**26.** “I think I’ve been holding myself from falling in love with you all over again.”  
**27.** “I’m not going to apologize for this. Not anymore.”  
**28.** “That’s almost exactly the opposite of what I meant.”  
**29.** “It must be hard with your sense of direction, never being able to find your way to a decent pickup line.”  
**30.** “Can I sit here? The other tables are full.”  
**31.** “You weren’t supposed to laugh!”  
**32.** “This is, by far, the dumbest thing you’ve ever done.”  
**33.** “I’m not going to stop poking you until you give me some attention.”  
**34.** “These stars are nothing compared to the ones I’ve seen in your eyes.”  
**35.** “Before I do this, I need you to know that I have always loved you.”  
**36.** “Did I say that out loud?”  
**37.** “Do you think they could have loved me?”  
**38.** “Everyone keeps telling me you’re the bad guy.”  
**39.** “How long have you been standing there?”  
**40.** “Have I ever lied to you?”  
**41.** “Have you lost your fucking mind?”  
**42.** “His ego is so visible; I can almost watch it grow.”  
**43.** “I am not losing you again!”  
**44.** “I don’t know why I’m crying.”  
**45.** “I had a nightmare about you and I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”  
**46.** “I just need to be alone right now.”  
**47.** “When I picture myself happy… It’s with you.”  
**48.** “I made a mistake.”  
**49.** “I may be an idiot, but I’m your idiot.”  
**50.** “I need you to forgive me.”  
**51.** “I see the way you look at me when you think I’m not looking.”  
**52.** “I think I’m in love with you and that scares me half to death.”  
**53.** “I’m flirting with you.”  
**54.** “I’m not good enough for you.”  
**55.** “I fell in love with my best friend.”  
**56.** “I’m sorry, what? I keep getting lost in your eyes.”  
**57.** “I’m up to the challenge.”  
**58.** “I’ve been in love with you my entire life. Ever since the day I first met you.”  
**59.** “I’m yours.”  
**60.** “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me.”  
**61.** “If you go anywhere near them, you’ll have to deal with me!”  
**62.** “It’s okay to cry…”  
**63.** “What do you mean? It’s exciting!”  
**64.** “Talk to me.”  
**65.** “Look at me—just breathe, okay?”  
**66.** “Look, I don’t have much time, but I wanted to say I love you.”  
**67.** “Oh my god! You’re in love with them!”  
**68.** “Well, this is where I live.”  
**69.** “We finish it the same way we started—together.”  
**70.** “What are you afraid of?”  
**71.** “You are the single best thing that has ever happened to me.”  
**72.** “You deserve so much better.”  
**73.** “You don’t have to stay.”  
**74.** “You don’t know you the way I do.”  
**75.** “You fainted, straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”  
**76.** “You need to wake up because I can’t do this without you.”  
**77.** “You shouldn’t have even been there!”  
**78.** “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”  
**79.** “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”  
**80.** “Teach me?”  
**81.** “We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you want to stop and feel the rain?”  
**82.** “Looks like we’ll be stuck here for a while.”  
**83.** “Just once.”  
**84.** “I can’t believe you talked me into this.”  
**85.** “It’s not what it looks like.”  
**86.** “I got you a present.”  
**87.** “Hey! I was gonna eat that!”  
**88.** “See, now, what that so bad?”.”  
**89.** “You’re the best part of me.”  
**90.** “I don’t want to think about what I’d be like without you.”  
**91.** “Can I hold your hand?”  
**92.** “Let’s move in together.”  
**93.** “It’s a real shame nobody asked for your opinion.”  
**94.** “What time is it?”  
**95.** “Just wait a second.”  
**96.** “Here, let me.”  
**97.** “You’re so cute when you pout like that.”  
**98.** “Hold me back!’  
**99.** “I don’t care what they said, it doesn’t mean shit!”  
**100.** “I adore you.”

 

 


	2. "I might have had a few shots." - Ari x Erik

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys here is the first prompt. This was given to me by one of my favorite people on here, @youreadthatright . She gave me prompt #10 - “I might have had a few shots.” This was so much fun to write so thank you babes! This is unbeta’d so any mistakes are mine and mine only.

Erik was drunk.

He had to be with the way the stairs seemed to rotate before his eyes. Curving and crossing in an unnatural way, causing his mind to spin on an axis. He shook his head gently, locs bouncing around his temples as if that would quell the bout of vertigo he was experiencing. How he’d ended up walking up the back stairwell to his apartment, Erik didn’t know. He couldn’t remember anything past the fourth glass of Hennessy Azeez had passed him. Not the girl he had pushed off his lap, the fight he’d successfully broken up, or the person who helped him into his Uber. He couldn’t even recall badging into the fucking building.  

A deep laugh bounced off the walls around him and it took his inebriated mind a collection of long seconds to realize it had pushed past his own dry lips. Exhaustion was descending on him like a warm blanket and he leaned heavily against the wall on his left, feeling like he would never make it to his destination. Another cognac flavored chuckle percolated around his chest as he looked up at the flights he had left on his journey. They were seemingly endless.

So many steps.

Why hadn’t he taken the fucking elevators?

“Erik?”

Drooping eyelids slid open slowly at the soft utterance. He had no clue when he had closed them - nor how long he’d been using the wall as a pillow -  but he knew that voice.

It felt like it took lifetimes for him to turn towards the sound, inhaling deeply when his gaze finally focused. Her tiny frame was somehow smaller than he remembered. Erik took his time drinking her in, eyes roving her body unrushed as he appreciated her choice of outfit. The black [off-the-shoulders dress](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F9b%2F85%2F26%2F9b8526b9b9ed3913d0b76a784f105464.jpg&t=OWE5NjViNTIwZjE3ZDdjMTIzOWY5YmU2NWZkZDc5MzA1YzVkMWU2NCxiQk81azZXcQ%3D%3D&b=t%3AhduukGkrPWWm5xXH6vMQHA&p=https%3A%2F%2Fprincessstevens.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F181936490760%2Foverstimulated-prompt-i&m=0) hugged her curves closely, showing off her toned legs and thighs and amplifying her cleavage. The checkered slip-on Vans making the clothes more casual than dressy. His golden jaguar necklace bringing attention to her feminine collarbones and the soft slope of her neck, unhidden as her hair was up in those two puffs he was learning to love. She looked too edible. Possessiveness swelled in his core.

Where the fuck was she going?

“Why are you here?”

Aurora’s brow crinkled in confusion at his near growl, her eyes bouncing around his body. He knew she could see the tension he felt but he didn’t care. She needed to answer.

“The elevators are out of service, Erik,” she explained slowly as if speaking to a child.  “Everyone is taking the steps.”

Ah, now his location made sense. But that wasn’t what he wanted to ask her.

Erik took a staggering step towards her, hand shooting out to grip the handrail to stop himself from falling forward. She was too far away, his palms twitched to feel her skin.

“Where are you going?”

This time she rolled her eyes at him but walked closer to him, the light scent she always wore tickled his nose and caused him to lick his lips.

 _Mine_ , Killmonger growled.  

“I’m  _going_  to my apartment but I just  _came_  from hanging out with my girl.” She squinted up at him, a smirk pulling at her purple colored lips. “Are you drunk, Stevens?”

He gave her his brightest and best smile, gold fangs shining in the fluorescents they were standing under.

**“I might have had a few shots.”**

Aurora giggled, grasping his arm and turning him around slowly.

“C’mon drunky, let’s get you in the house.”

Erik leaned on the small woman, slinging a heavy arm around her slender shoulders, leaning bodily on her in a way that he wouldn’t do had he been sober.

_Fuck, she smells good._

Ari giggled again, her hand coming up to press in the center of his stomach to guide him as they rounded the corner; the muscles there tightening at the contact.

“It’s the oils in my hair. I make them myself.”

He bent down, feet dragging behind him as she lead them slowly up the steps, burying his nose into the puff closest to his face,  groaning as he pulled the scent deeper. He was content to stay there as long as she’d let them, pressed up against him, following her anywhere she took them.

A slender hand patting his pocket gently pulled him from his trance-like state. Erik reached down to stop her, pulling it up to his face to inspect it closely. Her nails were a new color, the soft pink marble design popping against the melanin in her skin. They were nice as hell.

“Thank you,” she said, a smile in her voice. Erik looked down at her, giving her a slow blink of his eyes before he looked up and realized they were standing in front of 12A. When had they gotten out of the stairwell?

“Do you have your keys, handsome?”

He gave her his attention again, a warmth that had nothing to do with the drinks from the club blooming in his chest cavity. She thought he was handsome. He gave her another rough smirk as he fished the keys from the pocket of his slacks, dropping them in her upturned hand.

She turned back to the door, opening it and guiding him, cool hand clasped in his warm one.

“Duh, I can see, Erik. I know you’re easy on the eyes.”

Erik’s head cocked to the side as he allowed her to pull him to the back of his apartment, towards his bedroom.

The little minx was reading his mind.

There went that fucking giggle again as she flipped on the light, turning to him to look at him with eyes larger and brighter than the moon that hung his bedroom window. She was so fucking gorgeous.

The expression on her face turned bashful and she looked down at the floor for a second before looking back up.

“Go on, get in bed while I get you some aspirin.”

His eyes were glued to her hips as she walked away, body on autopilot as he stripped out of his loafers, slacks, and polo before walking over to toss himself down on his silk sheets. Unconsciousness reached for him with inky black, welcoming fingers. Wrapping around him like the softest blanket before a tiny hand touched his shoulder. He peeked open an eye, Aurora’s blushing face swimming in his vision. She was gazing down at his body, her plump lipped pulled through her straight, white teeth. He sniffed a laugh, his pectorals and stomach jumping with the movement, and her eyes jumped to his face.

“Uhm,” she stuttered, embarrassed at being caught. “I put some water and Advil on your nightstand and folded your clothes. Your phone is on the charger too.” She looked at the hand still on his shoulder and pulled it back slowly as if she thought it was bothering him. “Did you need anything else before I go? Your stomach okay?”

He looked down at her lips while rolling his own and decided to see if her mind reading really went as far as he thought.

 _A kiss_ , he said internally.

Aurora froze, face shocked for a second and Erik’s eyes popped open in surprise.

She really heard him.

He rolled his lazy tongue around his mouth, voice gruff in his ear when he finally spoke.

“Princess,” he hesitated. He had no idea what to say, his brain demanding he sleep. Body quite literally shutting down on him as his eyes dropped back closed with a deep sigh. He wanted to apologize but had no energy to do so.

_I’m sorry, babygirl._

The last thing he felt before sleep claimed him was a pair of lips pressing into his own, soft and lingering.

“Dont be.”


	3. "Don't ask me that." - Ari x Jade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, @kissnmakeupxo (and probably all y’all) are going to hate me. My other favorite on here, my wife even though the divorce papers were finalized a few hours ago gave me prompt #9 - “Don’t ask me that.” She specifically asked for this to be an Ari x Erik prompt but….I changed it. I’m sorry Babygirl, don’t be mad at me. This idea popped up in my mind and I just….couldn’t shake it. It’s darker than the first prompt, but I promise I have some fluff for the next one. This is unbeta’d so any mistakes are mine and mine only.

Aurora has always made it a point not to lie.

There were definitely the occasional slip-ups. White lies like not telling her mother that the flower arrangement she was super proud of was hideous. Or telling Tosha she was looking better than she was that time she was battling a really bad case of the flu. There was also the time she had taken her grandmother’s favorite teapot to her room where she accidentally cracked the lid. It had taken  _days_  but Aurora finally came around to fessing up about it, guilt choking her every time her Nan tsked and shook her head at the delicate china.

She didn’t  _enjoy_  lying. She hated it. Especially when it came to the precious people in her life.

Like her best friend who she was now sitting across from.

She tried to keep the trepidation off her face as she played vocal battleship with Jade. Dodging her questions so that her battered ship wouldn’t sink to the fiery waters of the conversation they were having.

It had been exactly twenty-two days since she had spent time with her oldest friend. Twenty-two days of waiting for the swelling around her eye to finally go down and look somewhat normal. Twenty-two days of making up weak reasons as to why she wasn’t available to hang out.

Work was busy.

She was tired.

Mike wanted to go on a date.

She had her period.

She was broke.

She had been avoiding Jade like the plague, knowing that if she had asked questions Aurora would have to tell the truth. Until, finally, her face had healed enough for them to hang out. Ari had been humming while getting dressed, happy to finally be leaving the house…and  _him_. She had just made it to the door when a rough hand had yanked her back hard and quick, cutting off the blood circulation. Michael’s grip on her wrist had only tightened as he sat there berating her with questions. Where was she going? Why hadn’t she told him? When was she coming back? Who was she going to see? He asked and yelled and spat until he’d made up his mind that she was  _allowed_  to go.

Leaving a large bruise in the shape of his hand on her arm.

Aurora knew she couldn’t cancel now, it would look suspicious. Instead, she stopped at  _Target_  and purchased a long sleeve shirt to hide the evidence.

The same one she was currently tugging down over her hand as she spewed have truths and offered pained laughs to her friend’s jokes.

So far Jade hadn’t said anything, vocally. But by the way her eyes squinted and how often her lips pressed into a thin line Ari knew she was barely skating by.

Aurora steered the conversation away from her relationship any time it came up, choosing to talk about Jade’s recent lover or the work she was doing with the non-profit she was currently employed for. She let out a silent breath of relief when the check came to the table, thanking whatever deity that was listening that she hadn’t had to break her no lying policy.

Aurora retrieved her wallet after looking at the total, slipping out a few bills to pay her part and add to the tip, when her night came crashing down.

“Ari, what the fuck is that on your arm, sis?”

The money fell from her hand as she looked to see the darkening bruise was on full display. Jade’s face contorted from curiosity to anger slowly, hot eyes slipping up to take in the guilty expression Aurora knew painted her features. Jade’s outrage was palpable in the air between them. Her glossy lips curling up in a sneer.

“Did Mich-”

**“Don’t ask me that!”**

Aurora was breathing hard, tears rising in her eyes. She wouldn’t lie.

Instead, she slapped the money down on the table, grabbed her bag and left her childhood friend shocked and hurt as she exited through the doors quickly; all but running to her car.

Aurora had  _always_  made it a point  _not_  to lie. 


	4. "Just pretend to be my date" - Jade x Kamia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out to both @uhlxisback and @sydneeblue (who I still can’t tag btw). You both gave me Prompt #23 “Just pretend to be my date.” I was originally going to do two separate ones but I couldn’t think of different ways to spin this so I’m going to fill both requests in one. This one is cute and I had fun writing it. I hope you ladies enjoy it. This is unbeta’d so any mistakes are mine and mine only.

**“Just pretend to be my date.”**

Kamia’s fingers stuttered against her keyboard adding a few unnecessary constants to the word she was typing. Wide hazel eyes swept up in the air to look at the beautiful brown-skinned woman across from her as shock began to buzz around in her system at an alarming speed at the suggestion. By some feat, she managed to maintain her usual neutral face.

They were sitting in Jade’s admittedly stylish [office](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fcheetahisthenewblack.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F07%2FybyAt.jpeg&t=YjFjOGMwZWU4ZDRiMGM1OTA3NjliOTlhNDU4MWRhNmU2MjNmNTAyMixuOUVuazBqWA%3D%3D&b=t%3AhduukGkrPWWm5xXH6vMQHA&p=https%3A%2F%2Fprincessstevens.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F181984472875%2Foverstimulated-prompt-iii&m=0), paper samples spread out on the medium contemporary desk awaiting Aurora’s approval when she arrived. The smells of bergamot, sugared citrus, and sandalwood permeating from the three wicked candles that sat on one of the shelves of the built-in charcoal bookcase that made up the wall behind the homeowner gave the space a sense of calmness Kamia usual felt while sitting near the lapping waves at the beach.

That calm was officially shattered.

The topic of the annual Illuminate Dinner had come about as they discussed upcoming events. Kamia had expressed a genuine interest in the fundraising gala, bemoaned it being invite-only, and made a flippant comment about sneaking through the backdoor of the  _PIRCH._  She’d chuckled to herself at the thought and moved on in her head knowing that this year was not going to be hers to attend.

That is before Jade dropped the bomb she’d had sitting in her back pocket.

Kamia stared at her for a few more seconds wondering if the giddiness she felt in her system could be contributed to the idea of attending an event she’s had her eyes on since moving to California or the prospect of being this woman’s date.

She cleared the emotion from her throat before fixing her cat-eyed  _Tiffany_ glasses.

“You have tickets?”

Jade licked her lips then, the action distracting and sensual, before nodding.

“Yeah, I get two every year through a friend who works for the Alex Theatre but visual art isn’t really my cup of tea so,” she finished with a shrug of one shoulder, dark eyes colored in slight doubt. “Did you want to go? I haven’t sold them yet.”

Kamia stared at her, nodding slowly. Her woozy excitement only heightening with every word Jade said in that low raspy voice she was coming to love more.

Yes, she wanted to go. She already knew what bottle she would be donating out of her extensive wine collection, the dress she wanted to wear and how much of her savings she’d be willing to auction if she saw something worth wild. The night, if she was attending, was set to be perfect. A dream finally realized.

With the exception of one thing.

“Why do we have to pretend?”

The words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. Not that she  _would_. They had been playing this game of chicken for weeks now and Kamia was beginning to grow tired. She knew that in order to coax the stubborn woman across from her into admitting her obvious feeling, she needed to have patience and a plan of attack and she had both. In spades. But sometimes the urge to press her a little harder, push her a little farther, be a bit  **bolder** was hard to fight.

Like now.

Kamia dug her bare toes into the animal skin under her as she read Jade’s face. Her emotions played like a picture behind the beautiful deep mocha of her irises. Shock, awe, suspicion, a flash of desire all evident before they settled on their usual flavor. Determination. Jade opened her nude painted lips, her pearly whites unclenching, tongue rolling across them before she closed her mouth again. Throwing them into the corner of her face before bunching them up in consideration.

And Kamia  _knew_  she’d won. She just needed Jade to  _say the words_.

A feral grin began to take over her face as she goaded Jade with an intensely bright stare, victory almost as sweet as the kiss she was planning on stealing at the end of the night if Jade would only nut the fuck up and accept the challenge.

But, like all wars, there was the possibility of the tables turning at any moment. And the odds quickly tipped out of Kamia’s favor.

“Hey Y'all!” Aurora’s chipper voice cut through the tension like a hot knife when she bounded in just as Jade opened her mouth again. Both women snapped their head over to her as she sat down on the faux fur covered chaise in the corner of the room, putting the oversized tote on her arm on the floor with her Hydroflask, flicking her coils out of her face before the energy of the room dawned on her.

“Uh? Did I miss something?” The younger woman asked, eyes bouncing between them and the papers on the table. Attempting and failing at putting two and two together.  

The two women looked at each other, Jade’s face relieved at the intrusion.

Kamia gave a deep internally sigh. Round over.

“Nope,” she turned to Aurora with bright, playful eyes. “Mimi was just agreeing to my terms. Right?” Jade tossed her a toothy grin, knowing she’d successfully wiggled her way out of another corner.

Kamia returned the grin with a nod of her head, conceding the battle. The victor evident.

_Well played, Jade._

At least she was going to the gala.

The war would have to continue then.


	5. "You weren't supposed to hear that." - Ari x Erik

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was requested by @fentybabyy (who I also can’t tag) who suggested two. I ended up going with #78 - “You weren’t supposed to hear that.” I’m not going to lie, your request gave me slight anxiety lol, but only because you gassed my ass hard af and I didn’t want to let you down. As always, I hope I did it justice. This is unbeta’d so any mistakes are mine and mine only.
> 
> Poem By: Dawn Lanuza from The Last Time I’ll Write About You

It was officially the rainy season in California, which meant that Aurora was writing like crazy. She had the door and windows wide open, her large fan blowing in the hallway to coax in the smell from outside as she usually did. The fan was just as loud as it usually was as it spun air into the hall, causing a ruckus. She knew Erik would have poked his head out to see what the commotion was had he not known what was going on. Aurora, however, was raised with manners so she had gone down and knocked on her neighbor’s door to give him a heads up that she would be turning the giant metal monster on, trying to quell surprising him unnecessarily.

Erik had nodded, his free locs bobbing in front of his expressive eyes, and said it wouldn’t be a problem as long as she agreed to have dinner with him.

 _Compromise_ , he had called it a slight lift to his plump mouth. As if having dinner with him was such a hardship.

Aurora had stuck a finger under her chin, lifting her mirth filled eyes to look at the top of door frame, pretending to think for long enough to earn a huff from him before she  _reluctantly_ agreed.

Erik had chuckled, ruffled her hair and told her he’d drop by as soon as the food was done.

Now, she was sitting in front of her  _HP_  nearly an hour later feeling defeated by the piece she had written the day before. Ari had been skipping this particular set of words, pushing it to the back of the editing list, as she wasn’t entirely happy with it. Not that she could point out exactly what bothered her about it. She drummed her purple colored fingernails on the wood of her coffee table to the funky beat of  _The List_  as she briefly entertained the idea of scrapping the piece altogether before she shook her head to herself. If Jade somehow found out - which she could because, Jade - the editor would not be pleased with her actions.

Speaking of her best friend, this entire situation was all too familiar. Aurora recalled a piece of advice she imparted on her the last time she was experiencing this.

_“This shit is good, Ari, you’re being too hard on yourself.” Jade had told her, pursing her lips at the unconvinced look on her face. “Look, this doubt is all in that pretty little head of yours. Try this: the next time you feel like this, read your work out loud. That way your ear hears what the mind doesn’t. If that doesn’t work, call me and read it to me. I’ll set that ass straight.”_

Aurora rolled her eyes. She was  _not_  going to call Jade. Especially when she was suspicious that her friend was spending quality time with her “not-girlfriend.” But the advice was sound and had worked like a charm the last time she’d used it. Even though it felt silly to do.

 _It can’t hurt_ , she thought to herself before taking a deep, settling breath, following her friend’s instructions.

_I love the way you look_

_Your eyes, they twinkle_

_Your lips, they curl_

_Your worth it shines_

_I love the way you look_

_As I watch you across the room_

_That is until you looked at me_

_And nothing else could compare_

Aurora blinked at the screen. Jade was right, as she usually was. The piece sounded twenty times better after she had read it aloud. She almost clapped with how happy she was as she attached the document to the email sitting in her drafts and got ready to click the send button, sending it and the other three poems to the person who just helped her.

“That’s a good one, Ari.”

Aurora’s heart felt like a block of ice in her chest instantaneously. Sometime during her very own  _Def Poetry Jam_  session, Erik had managed to cross over the threshold of her apartment. The combined sounds of the rain, fan, and music masking his already silent footsteps.

The 6’2 ninja walked over to the coffee table she was hunched over and pushed a bowl of chicken tortilla soup towards her. The warm steam bringing the latin smell of green chili and cilantro up to her nose causing her stomach to still groan even with the situation at hand.

Ari looked up from the intricate design of the soup spoon sticking out the side and into his slightly amused eyes.  _Of course_  Erik thought eavesdropping on words he inspired was funny. Because this was hell and he really was the devil.

 **“You weren’t supposed to hear that,”**  she stated bluntly because there was no use in pretending like it didn’t happen.

Erik nodded, bringing a few of the tri-colored tortilla strips that sat on top of the soup to his mouth.

“Read it again, Princess.”

He had to be joking.

Aurora stared at him with a somewhat pained expression, waiting for the cameras to swarm in and end the joke.

Read it? Outloud? Again? In  _front_  of him?

She would rather  _die_.

Erik looked at her with immense patience in his deep eyes as he chewed slowly. Flicking them from the laptop and back up to her face, bouncing an eyebrow.  

Aurora’s mouth dropped open slightly.

He was serious.

She squirmed around on top of the pillow she was sitting on, nerves fluttering around in her belly at a vomit-inducing speed, eyes dropping back to the naked words on the screen. What was the harm really? Erik had already heard it once. Might as well die with confidence.

She glanced back up at him, the lack of judgment in his face making the task ahead a little less daunting than a few seconds before.

 _He just wants to hear it, sis_  her subconscious attempted to soothe.

Right, like anything was ever that easy.

With slightly less trepidation, Aurora opened her mouth and read.


	6. “You fainted, straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to go to such extremes.” - Ari x Azeez

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So lemme tell you about this damn prompt. Almost 2 weeks ago I realized that I had two prompts that repeated and I debated for a while before deciding that I wasn’t going to write multiple prompts for the same request and opened my requests to you guys to fill in the gap. That’s when @purple-apricots slid her narrow ass in my asks talmbout “Can I have 75 for Ari x Azeez tEe HeE.” If y’all have been rocking with me for a while you would know that after I made this post showing the men of OS all the thirst buckets came out in droves wanting back stories on them. But @purple-apricots decided that Ari and Azeez needed to be a thing. We been arguing about it ever since. She did this to push my buttons - and pushed they were, congrats - but the more I started thinking about these two interacting, the more it seemed like a good test of my writing skills. So sis, here it is. The pairing you’ve been asking for. 75: “You fainted, straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”

Azeez watched the clock above his locker in the employee room, impatiently waiting for the big hand to reach the four. It felt like he had been roaming the hallways of  _Summit Medical_  for days instead of hours. The constant buzz of his cellphone pulling him from room to room, offering smiles and lollipops to the long queue of crying children and teens who entered his part of the eastern wing.

Don’t get him wrong, Azeez  _loved_  being a doctor, but sometimes the strain of working back to back ten plus hour shifts made him wish he had just followed in his father’s footsteps and taken over the company auto sales business. The offer to was still there, a fact that his father never forgot to mention at their bi-weekly Sunday dinners that Azeez often missed. He shook away the thought, knowing that, even with the near sleep deprivation, his heart was where it wanted to be.

Luckily, he had a five day weekend ahead of him which would help him get out of the funk he was experiencing and allow him to rest and decompress.

If the time would just move a  _little_  faster.

He shifted from foot to foot, literally counting the seconds out loud the closer it got to quitting time. A smile spreading over his face when he reached the fifteen-minute mark. He could almost smell his bed he was so close.

So when his phone gave a muted vibrate in his jacket he groaned in annoyance, his body falling forward, head hitting his locker with a soft thud. A rough sigh dragged out of him as he pulled his phone from his right pocket, flipping it open to see the message.  

“The general care area? The fuck they need me there for?” He quired to himself, agitatedly lifting from the locker and making his way up the elevators. He got off on the seventh floor, turning a quick right and then left to walk over to the nurses’ station, noting the apologetic look in all their eyes.

“Wassup Reese?”

Katreese walked over, her thick hips swaying in her green nurse pants making Azeez lick his lips despite the exhaustion knocking against his shoulders. She offered him an apologetic gap-toothed smile as she handed him the metal clipboard with the patient’s information on it.

“Hey Z,” she greeted, the corner of her bottom lip tucked between her teeth. “I’m really sorry about this but I didn’t know who else to call.”

He nodded at that, knowing she was aware of his schedule and wouldn’t drag him here if she wasn’t desperate. He took a quick look over the file, the first few lines immediately catching his attention as he scanned the page.

“She’s an adult,” Azeez turned his tired eyes to the phlebotomist. He was really being called in for this ten minutes before his shift is supposed to end for this? “You do remember that I work down in Pediatrics right? Infants, toddlers, children,  _adolescents_?”  

The lab technician rolled her eyes at his unnecessary patient list and he almost grinned. The fact that it was so close to leaving his nearly thirteen-hour shift had him feeling like being a little bit of a heel.

“We know but she’s really skittish around needles and you’re the best at venipuncture.” Katreese rolled her lips. “C’mon Z, just this last patient and then you get to go home. She’s also really cute if that helps.”

_Cute, huh?_

He sighed deeply, closing the medical file and walking towards the exam room.

“Fine,” he tossed back over his shoulder, “but you’re buying my tacos next Tuesday.”

“Done and done. Thanks, Doc!”

Azeez took a breath, making sure his bedside manners and friendly smile were in place before he gave three light raps against the door. He could hear the nervousness in the woman’s voice from her shaky “come in” alone.

He pushed the door open softly, the faux bright smile on his face stretching real and big once he laid eyes on her. Katreese didn’t lie, the girl was attractive.

“Hello Ms. Greene,” he said with reassuring cadence. “I’m Doctor Osho.” He held the file up in his hand. “Says here you came in for some routine blood work. We’re just going to take a peek and make sure everything is running smoothly in your system.”

The young woman nodded, her frizzy hair bobbing about her guarded eyes.

“Uhm, I just told the nurse that I’m really not good with needles,” she started, pulling her long-sleeved shirt over her hand and creating a fist.

The doctor nodded, eyes still on her face.

“I heard. I work in the pediatric ward so I’m good with small veins and I’ve been told I have the softest hands in the ward.” He walked over to the sink, washing said hands with plenty of soap before drying them and sliding on gloves. The girl’s eyes following him the entire time. He gave her another smile as he picked up the metal tray that held the tourniquet, empty blood vials, and the sealed needle.

“I promise to make this as quick and painless as I possibly can,” he said in a gentle voice as he sat down on the wheeled stool and slid over to her. From this distance, he could see the girl looked a little green around the face, small sweat droplets collecting on her hairline. He frowned, she was  _really_  afraid.

Azeez pushed through the procedure as normal- which arm she preferred, ask her to lift her shirt and make a fist - before tying the purple rubber band around her arm tightly, securing it with a knot.

“Ugh,” he heard her whimper as she turned her head to the side so that she couldn’t see. “Just, don’t tell me when you’re about to do something, please.”

“Not a problem.”

He sterilized the area before tapping the plump veins he could see protruding through her skin, smiling. This was going to be easy. The butterfly needle went in quickly, basically without her knowledge. It was the fastest extraction he’d done in a while. The vials filled and sealed away in less than two minutes.

“Okay,” he said as he pulled the final blood sample away, shaking it before setting it down next to the other four, “you’re all done, Ms. Greene.”

“What?” she asked with a voice full of surprise. Turning just as he was pulling the needle from her skin. “Oh fuck!” she exclaimed, eyes going wide before they rolled up into her head. Her body went limp, falling forward in the chair and towards the floor rapidly.

“Shit!” Azeez cussed sharply, his arm stretching out to catch her before she could hit the ground.

She was passed clean out.

He could hear the swishing of her pants before Katreese threw the door open.

“Oh no,” she cooed, coming over to take the needle from the doctor’s pinched fingers.

Azeez wrapped the other around her, situating her back in her chair with a sigh. This was a first.  

“You weren’t joking when you said she didn’t like needles,” he stated before tapping Aurora’s arm with fingers, rousing her.  

“What happened?” she asked looking between the two staff members. Her hair even crazier than before as her freckled face bounced around the room before it looked down to where Katreese was putting a bandage over the puncture wound.

Azeez sighed and gave her a rougher smile than normal.

 **“You fainted, straight into my arms.”**  The doctor shook his head at the ridiculousness of it all, his patience finally running thin.  **“You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”**

Aurora’s eyes went wide and he could almost see a flush creeping over her milk chocolate complexion. He nearly chuckled.

“Dr. Osho!” Katreese reprimanded, hitting him gently with the papers that held the aftercare information. “We’re sorry about that Aurora. We’re going to have to keep you for a little to make sure that you’re strong enough to drive.”

Azeez took that as his cue to leave. He thanked Katreese and gave Aurora a courteous and  _professional_  goodbye before turning and all but running out of the hospital.

But something about the exchange stuck with him.

Aurora Greene.

The name didn’t really strike a cord until he’d gotten home, showered, and in bed. He picked up his phone, opening the group chat to see if any of his boys could jar his memory.

_**Zzzs:**  Yo anyone know someone with the last name Greene? Cute girl, curly hair, freckles, kinda skittish._

He tapped his phone against his chin as he tried to remember before his phone buzzed with the answer.

_**Shad:**  Ain’t that E’s princess?_

Azeez eyes widen as he slipped in his phone beneath his pillow with a comical grimace.

Well, there goes that chance. He knew better than to fuck with Erik’s girl.


	7. “His ego is so visible; I can almost watch it grow.” - Jade x Ari x Erik

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt #6 was requested by @akimi-youngblood . She requested #42: “His ego is so visible; I can almost watch it grow.” with my favorite trio: Jade, Erik, and Ari. I was initially excited af to get these three but, whenever I looked at the prompt, I was lost in the koolaid lol. I had no clue what I wanted to do so my boo boo stink stink @youreadthatright let me bounce some ideas off of her and then this crazy ass scenario was born. I really hope you guys like it, I had fun writing it! This is unbeta’d so any mistakes are mine and mine only.

Jade regretted coming to this damn potluck.

It wasn’t the borderline annoying shrieking from Ari as she turned this way and that; the silver VR helmet on her head as she tried to legitimately run from zombies only she could see.

It was the man occupying her best friend’s kitchen.

Jade had been watching him since she’d gotten up to get her second glass of  _Dornfelder_. Eyes locked on the black t-shirt stretching across his broad back in a way that was as annoying as it was attractive. The ruby liquid swimming in her veins had her studying him with scrutiny, and she was starting to notice things about him she hadn’t before.

Like how gentle he was with Ari.

Slowly lowering the gaming system on her face. His gentle smile as he explained the controls to her in a low and enticing voice. The slight caress he swept across her elbow as he let her go to return to the kitchen to finish his portion of their group meal.

And then there was  _that_.

Erik seemed at ease in front of the stove as he crisped up cuts of bacon in the cast iron skillet he’d bought over with him. Body languid and unrushed as he moved about her kitchen with a grace he shouldn’t possess given his large body.

Calm. Confident. _Cocky_.

She couldn’t stand him.

**“His ego is so visible.”**

Aurora turned to her voice then, pushing the contraption up over her slicked back hair. Childlike amusement all over her glowing face.

“You say something, J?”

Jade hummed, swirling her wine around in her glass, eyes never leaving Erik’s back.

“I was talking about His Satanic Majesty in the kitchen,” she said as he rocked the pan with a lone hand, a flurry of green tossing in the air before landing with a loud sizzle. He seemed completely in his element. Seasoning the veggies with a move even Salt Bae would envy.

She hated it.

She hated him.

His head seemed to be getting bigger by the second.

 **“I can almost watch it grow,”**  Jade muttered, bringing the glass to her lips in disgust.

She could see Ari’s exaggerated eye roll out of her peripheral view before she plopped down the couch next to her, game forgotten.

“Leave him alone,” she chastised quietly, turning towards him as well. Visibly melting as she drank him in.

Jade only hummed, her ears picking up the music he had playing lowly near him now that Ari wasn’t imitating a pig.

_You know that I got cha//You ain’t gotta worry bout nutin’//I’m the man for the job when we fuckin’//You need to close the chapter on that nigga//Meet me in the hotel villas//Don’t worry about ya ex nigga//Or that lil boy that you had on the side//Girl, I tryna be ya next nigga_

Even the fucking music he listened to was annoying.

“Tuh!” Jade exclaimed before she could stop herself, making the two people in the apartment turn to look at her.

“Something wrong, Pumpkin?” Erik asked with a sly grin, having caught the way Jade was looking at his maroon  _Nike_  joggers.

She ticked an annoyed eyebrow at him.

“Yeah, when is dinner going to be done, Belial? My stomach is touching my back.”

He turned back to the stove with a shake of his head.

“My bad. I meant to pick up some kibbles and bits when I was at the store earlier for your yappy ass.”

Jade glared at him over the wide mouth of her glass as Aurora coughed weakly in a vain attempt to cover her giggle.

“That’s cute given your likeness to a pitbull,” she retorted before rolling her eyes. “Just answer the question, nigga. My prime rib is going to dry out in the oven waiting for you.”

Erik kept his smirk firmly in place as he picked up the skillet, scraping the contents into the serving plate he'd sat aside.

Nothing rattled this nigga.

“It’s ready now.”

Ari got up and rounded the couch to get to the kitchen, eager to help. Or just be within ten feet of his ass.

“Can I help?” She questioned, peeking into the oven as he pulled out two baking dishes, one after the other.

Jade watched the gentle smile as it curved over his plump lips. This nigga was mush in her friend’s hands and she had no idea.

“I got this, Princess. You and ya friend can set the table though.”

“I got a name, nigga,” Jade stated plainly as she put down her nearly empty glass, going over to take the plates out of Ari’s hands.

Erik didn’t comment as he sliced the beef, setting it back into the dish before placing it in the middle of the table.

“I can’t remember the last time we even sat here,” Aurora laughed as she eyed the bubbling surface of the macaroni and cheese Erik had made when they sat down minutes later.

Jade sat her refilled glass on the table.

“I can count on two fingers how many times we have,” she commented, attempting to keep her face neutral as Ari added a heaping pile of cheese and pasta to her plate.

She ignored the veggies Stevens added next to it, dishing out slices of beef to everyone before grabbing her fork and tucking in.

The prime rib was exquisite, as usual. Tender enough to cut through with a fork, seasoned crust adding to the natural flavors of the meat instead of overpowering it. The gravy drizzled over top the perfect partner. Her daddy would be proud.

She gathered up a fork full the mountain of cheese still bubbling next to the beef and bought it to her mouth to blow.

And only  _just_  managed not to moan when she slipped the food into her mouth.

 _Fuuuck_ , she internally screeched as the flavors explode on her tongue. It was creamy and sharp with just the perfect amount of saltiness. Her eyes fluttered and she took a deep breath through her nose as she rolled the pasta around, coating as much of her taste buds as she could before chewing and swallowing. How many cheeses did he have in this shit?

Perfection. It was goddamn fucking perfection.

Better than her own mama’s.

She  _really really_  regretted coming.

A quiet cough pulled the cloud she was floating on from under her and she plummeted back down to earth. Her eyes peeling open slowly, automatically settling on Stevens’ face.

Smug wasn’t a full-bodied enough word to describe his expression but he said nothing. Not giving him the benefit of acknowledging the orgasm she’d mistakenly had in front of him.

“It’s good, Erik,” Ari said for her, food stuffed in the side of her cheeks as she grinned at him.

“Thank you,” he replied, eyes slipping back to Jade who turned her nose in the air.

Like hell she would compliment him.

It only made his smile larger.

They fell into a comfortable conversation, Ari revealing her cousin Rashad was finally returning to the states to fund a few art centers in Inglewood, Compton, and Oakland. Jade watched as the conversation volleyed between the two of them; Ari pointing out the benefits the centers would provide for the youths in those areas with Erik backing up the theory. His face serious as he thought.

“I wonder if the Outreach Center can partner with him,” he offered after swallowing, more to himself than anything. “Nakia is always looking for a way to sponsor different programs within the surrounding communities. She’d jump on this shit in a heartbeat.”

Jade’s eyes were almost as big as Ari’s at the suggestion. The nigga had a heart.

“That would be great, Erik!” Aurora exclaimed, setting her fork down on her empty plate and giving him her undivided attention. “I know he’s been following the news behind the Centers for a while now. The company’s initiative is what inspired him to do it, honestly.”

Erik nodded.

“Give me his email, I’ll pass it along to Nakia and the head of the humanities department at tomorrow’s meeting.”

Jade didn’t even attempt to hide the smile on her face as she scrapped the brussels sprouts further into the corner of her plate.

Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.

Erik’s eyes flash over to Jade, bouncing between her plate and her face.

“Eat your brussels sprouts, J,” he said calmly, giving her a mild look.

She had thought too soon.

“I’m getting there, nigga,” she argued, spearing one with her fork.

Jade was very particular when it came to her veggies. They had to be properly seasoned, none of that blanching with salt shit white people did at restaurants. Especially brussels sprouts. The only she had ever enjoyed eating was her own. And even  _that_  came after significant trial and error.

She picked up the chosen sphere, bringing it to her nose to sniff delicately. It didn’t  _smell_  bad but she knew enough to know that didn’t really mean anything.

Aurora gave another pointed cough, tilting her head with a look that told her she was being rude. Jade just rolled her eyes.

_Who cares?_

She took a deep breath before she bit into it, her eyes popping open in surprise.

They were fucking  _bomb_. The combination of salty pork fat from the bacon and spice from the red pepper flakes he’d added had her mouth salivating. She picked up another and another, adding them to her chubbing mouth before she’d even completely swallowed the first. Her fork scraped against her empty plate in search of more, not realizing she had eaten them all.

Erik’s deep laugh rang out in the room and Jade realized that they had been watching her with rapt attention.

He pushed the serving plate over to her, pride radiating off him like the waves around the sun.

“There’s more where that came from, ma,” he offered.

She had been caught, red-handed. She couldn’t even remember if she had moaned during the experience although she was sure she did.

Ari never failed to point out that she made sexual noises when she ate good food. And that shit was  _delicious_.

Time to save face.

“You need to let out some of that hot air before this whole apartment starts floating away. Egotistical, UP imitating faceass nigga.”

Erik let out a sharp bark of laughter, his eyes crinkling as his shoulder and chest bounced with the movement. Her words having the opposite effect. She wanted to anger the nigga, not tickle him. And by how deep the dimples were in his face she knew that she’d done just that.

 _Adorable_.

Jade balked at the thought, wanting to punch herself right in the brain since it was clearly rebelling on her.

 _Traitor_.

No more wine.

“It’s okay to be wrong sometimes, Jade.”

Her eyes snapped back to Erik’s as he bought his own wine glass to his lips, gold gleaming in his mouth. She wanted to punch  _him_.

“How else you gone learn, ma?”

Learn? Did the nigga think that because he could make good side dishes he was a cooking guru? She had stuck her whole leg into that roast and had seen him as he’d went for a few more pieces. The nigga wasn’t low and if she had to admit she was wrong then so did his ass.

She opened her lips, sharp words right on the tip of her tongue when Aurora noticed to look on her face and ran some interference.

“Anyone want carrot cake?” she said in a chipper voice, chair scraping loudly as she pushed back to retrieve said confection on its stand.

Erik winked at her before getting up to clear the dishes from the table, coming back with dessert plates and forks.

The piece of cake in front of her made her forget everything else.

Carrot cake was her weakness.

She glared at Ari’s giggle when she moaned around the first bite. The twinkle in her eyes telling her she’d baked it on purpose.

Well played again.

* * *

Jade groaned when she waddled her way into her house a few hours later. The other two pieces of cake she’d scarfed down between the heated games of Uno coming back to haunt her. She really had no self-control when it came to baked goods.

She made her way to the kitchen slowly, thinking about the night. If she was being honest, it was fun. Erik’s quit wit matched her own and he held no qualms about clapping back at her. He was also just as ruthless about Uno as she was. Their verbal war had all three of them in stitches, Ari more than anyone else. She had lost every game they had played, the laughing tears in her eyes making it impossible to see the cards in her hand.

Jade smiled as she opened the fridge, putting the pyrex dish that held her generous leftovers on the top shelf. Most of the contents being Erik’s mac n cheese. She had tried to probe him for details but the nigga was tight-lipped, almost outright ignoring her efforts.

She would wear on him. She always did.

Her phone gave a muted vibration when as she climbed the stairs to the master bedroom and Jade rolled her eyes. She knew it was Ari’s worrisome ass asking if she had made it home. Her best friend had kept her there as long as she could, citing her need to drink water and sober up after drinking a whole bottle to herself. Jade was always good, she was tripping.

To her surprise, it was a number she didn’t recognize. She started to ignore it, figuring it was one of the many randos in her phone looking to get that old thing back, but her interest was piqued.

She pressed her thumb to the home button, unlocking the device with ID Touch and was greeted to a picture of a page out of a handwritten cookbook. It looked old, the page held an orange hue and the edges were fraying, but the print was neat and legible.   


_This was my momma’s recipe. Don’t be out here sharing this shit._

Jade’s eyes widened. This was Erik. Aurora most have given him her number.

He was sharing his recipe?

Her heart warmed even as she rolled her eyes and saved the picture. Touched that he entrusted her with something so valued.

Her lip pulled between her teeth as she typed out her response. The hell bringer was starting to grow on her. The bastard.

_Your secret is safe with me, Lucius._


	8. “Oh my god! You’re in love with them!” - Shuri x Erik; Erik x ????

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so many many moons ago @ajspencer1892 requested Prompt #67: “Oh my god! You’re in love with them!” and I’m finally getting around to writing it. I’ve had this idea written down for weeks and -when I was in the shower because that’s where MOST of my plotting happens - I finally figured out the way I wanted to write it. I feel like a lot of you are going to be misled by this one and I’m not sorry lol. I enjoyed writing it, I hope you enjoy reading it. This is unbeta’d so any mistakes are mine and mine only.

“What’s in the box, Rashidi?” Shuri asked the psychiatrist as he made his way through the hall towards his office with a medium sized box in his wrinkled hands.

It was Tuesday at 3:50 which means he was on his way to see Erik. They had been having these sessions for just under a year. The previous therapists him having been run away by Erik’s attitude. Up until recently the former King only had two moods. Rage and stoicness. His face drawn, eyes cold, barely able to speak a word that wasn’t a hate-filled bark or a whispered threat.

But not Rashidi.

The man had proven to be unshakeable. Remaining calm in any situation N’Jadaka had thrown at him. Waiting out silent spells that had lasted weeks. His gentle smile and demeanor never wavered. Not even when the younger man had broken his arm.

_“Did you see that, Kumkani? He apologized. There’s hope after all.”_

And he had been right. Erik had calmed drastically after the incident; reigning in his anger more, trying to speak more and growl less. He grew rapidly after that. It did not go unnoticed by anyone

And it was thanks to the weathered man to Shuri’s right.

“It’s a gift for N’Jadaka,” he’d said, his face as gentle as it always was. But it was the slight quiver of his silvered eyebrows that belied the facade. He was definitely up to something...

“A gift? Did we miss his birthday?”

_Did N’Jakada even **celebrate**  his birthday?_

Rashidi let out a husky chuckle, more air than sound.

“Oh no,” he assured. “But I believe he did his homework and for that, he deserves a reward, no?”

Her brow furrowed as she looked down at the box as it jostled slightly in his hands. No one ever gave her gifts for doing her homework, and she created most of the tech for the entire county.

“I suppose so,” she grumbled and decided to follow. If Erik was going to get a gift, she wanted to be there when he received it. She opened the door when they got to their destination, eyeing the box carefully as he sat it down delicately on the large oak desk in his office.

“Are you staying for today’s session?” Rashidi questioned as he retrieved the data file from the wall behind him. Shuri was even more suspicious of him being a shaman, he always just seemed to know what people were thinking. There had been whispers when she was a young girl about the ever smiling man having lived many lives before this one. Even her Baba had said he wasn’t sure just how old Rashidi really was.

She nodded even though he wasn’t looking at her. “Is that okay?”

“I feel like we should ask N’Jadaka.”

Erik walked in at that exact moment, wearing his signature color. Black. The [suede tunic](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic1.squarespace.com%2Fstatic%2F53cdf1bbe4b0e7d8eb425995%2F54bb324ce4b076c29fc22934%2F5b7c1d4b2b6a2817e131fc95%2F1552451051040%2Fil_570xN.852580834_ozgp.jpg%3Fformat%3D750w&t=ZGZjNWJjOGY3NDZjNjcwNGUyZDQ2YzFjZjJkNDM5YTUxNmQ3NTJiYSxsVTZGd0MxWg%3D%3D&b=t%3AhduukGkrPWWm5xXH6vMQHA&p=https%3A%2F%2Fprincessstevens.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F183876804685%2Foverstimulated-prompt-vii&m=0) stretched perfectly across his upper body, leather pattern giving it a slightly militant look. He regarded her silently as he closed the door and waited for Rashidi to acknowledge his presence, practically standing in parade rest. His golden covered feet the same width of his shoulders, chest and chin held high.

“N’Jadaka, welcome,” he called out to him, motioning the man in. His eyes glanced down to the leatherbound book in his hand. “You finished the assigned text so quickly?”

“Yeah I read the shit,” Erik said, walking over and sitting the book down on the table. “I don’t know why you think Ima going to learn compassion by reading this dusty ass book but who am I to tell you how to do your job?”

“You don’t. That was just to test you to see if you were open to learning.” Rashidi opened the box slowly with withered hands, scooting it over to his patient. “And now that you are, I figured we should take a slightly more hands-on approach.”

The two cousins eyed each other before they leaned over the book to see it’s content. A surprised squeak escaped the scientist when they were met three sets of small green eyes.

“Kittens!” she exclaimed.

“The fuck?” Erik questioned at the same time 

The three [Bengal kittens](https://66.media.tumblr.com/ed69b3118ac0139ba0cb8eab47860060/tumblr_inline_po8214yQcq1qazkqf_640.png) all turned to look at the new faces, eyes wide and curious. Shuri had always wanted a pet, but, ever since the serval incident of ‘02, all animals had been effectively banned from the palace. It was common knowledge to everyone who worked in the city. So why and how did Rashidi smuggle in a box of cats?

The man had to be a shaman.

“Pick one,” the man of therapist requested, looking at Erik who was rolling his lips slowly. Shuri took a moment and looked at him closer; noting how light and almost child-like his eyes were as he gazed down at the tiny heads that bopped around the box. He looked excited.

“What am I going to do with a cat?” he questioned without looking up, eyes following the kittens as they moved about the box, screeching their annoyance when their claws found no purchase on the cardboard boxes that surrounded them.

“What does anyone do with a cat?” Rashidi questioned with a laughing voice. “You’ll look at after them.”

“Mmm,” Erik hummed distractedly before he made a soft clicking noise that had all three heads snapping towards him. His lip curled at the slightly in the corner. “These niggas kinda cute.”

The trio mewled at him loudly, scaling the side of the box on top of each other. Little hops that almost had the entire things falling over forcing a huff of gentle laughter out of Erik.

“Aight, calm the fuck down before y’all tip this shit over. I got you.”

Shuri watched as he reached in and plucked them out one by one, curling them in the crook of his arm as he sat on the edge of the desk. The gentleness in which he held them was something she hadn’t been sure Erik was capable of.

“Are you sure this is the smartest thing?” Shuri asked as she turned her gaze to the ever-smiling Rashidi, voice low. “I mean do you think N’Jadaka is ready to take care of someone outside of himself?”

“N’Jadaka has made great strides in the last few months, Inkosazana,” the psychiatrist replied, eyes still on his patient. “This is the next step on his journey to healing.”

The Princess pulled a face, not wanting to doubt the man. “Giving him a cat?”

“By offering him a chance to show his emotional aptitude,” Rashidi corrected gently as he gave her his attention. “N’Jadaka has shown that he is in better control of his aggressive emotions and outbursts but he struggles in other areas. His breezy facade and flippant manner of speaking are only cover-ups to hide his depression, stress levels, sleep deprivation, and loneliness. Emotional support animals can help combat these as well as ease N’Jadaka back into accepting companionship. Cats are more independent than dogs which work’s better with his ever-growing schedule.” He glanced back over to where Erik now sat, the kittens scaling his clothes curiously as he rubbed one between the brows with a gentle finger. “And just as affectionate.”

Shuri nodded her head. Even with her reservations, she was confident in his teachings. He had pulled Erik from a darkness no other person was sure he’d resurface from. The two had an understanding of each other that she hoped to understand and imitate. Erik needed more than one person in his corner.

“You were only supposed to pick one, N’Jadaka,” Rashidi called out suddenly to the man who was attempting to quietly leave with the all three of the kittens.

He never stopped his confident stroll towards the door. “I know. Ima take all three to my room, see which one wants to stay.”

 **“Oh my god,”** Shuri said in awe as she watched him a smile spreading across her face.  **“You’re in love with them!”**  

Erik only ignored her.

“Very well,” Rashidi relented, tapping the papers in front of him into a neat pile. “I’ll see you next week.”

And Erik was gone.

“You two didn’t even have your session.”

“No need, he has already proven himself.” He took a seat at his desk and brought up a file to update.

Shuri was not convinced.

“You do know he’s not going to return the other two don’t you?”

“More affection for him then,” he responded, unruffle, not even looking up at the princess.

“Of course,” she responded dryly with a roll of her eyes. She had been hoping she could keep one of the damn kittens herself. A beat of silence passed before she quietly excused herself to gather her notes and prototypes for the council meeting that afternoon.

The same meeting Erik did not show up to.

His absence was noted silently. The elders throwing glances at the empty seat to the right of the king; everyone wondering but not wanting to be the first to broach the topic. It had been months since her cousin had missed one of these meetings. Although the prince rarely spoke, his presence was always noticed. The subtle way he’d shake his head when he disagreed, the respectful attention he gave to everyone as they spoke. The council members often watched him when presenting, silently and subconsciously looking for his approval. Shuri noticed. As did Erik. She knew he did it purposely, his way of contributing without contributing. Which is why she was not surprised when M’Baku pulled her to the side at the meeting’s adjournment.

“Where is the Little Prince, hmm?” He attempted to joke, knowing how much Erik despised the nickname.

“I’m not sure, Baku,” Shuri admitted before she smiled up at the giant of a man, batting her eyelashes. “I was going to go check up on him. Did you want me to tell him his secret admirer was checking in on him?”

M’Baku let out a rumbling chuckle before he passed her a wrapped basket. “But of course. And deliver these to him, please. U kumkanikazi wam omncinci made these specifically for him.”

“Athena made him those apple turnovers again, didn’t she?” Shuri accused with squinted eyes. She loved the Jabari Queen’s baking. As did Erik.

“I will not tell if you have one or two on the way to see him,” M’Baku winked.

Shuri ran into Aro on her way, exchanging one of the turnovers for information on her cousin’s whereabouts.

“He’s in his rooms,” she revealed, taking a big bite of the confection.

“Thanks, Ro!” she chirped as she made her way to the residential wing, sucking the cinnamon and apple stickiness from her fingers so that she could knock once she reached his door.

She crept slowly into the room when he didn’t answer to find him sprawled across his bed on his back. His shirtless scarred torso painted a healthy gold by the light of the setting sun. The three kittens curled up on his heated skin enjoying a nap like their master.

Shuri gaped for a few moments as she took in the scene, placing the basket on top of the pile of books on his desk. She had never seen Erik look this relaxed. His face clear of any strife or anger. He looked peaceful, youthful. Happy.

Shuri pulled up the camera bead on her wrist and snapped a picture of them and sent it off to T’Challa on impulse. Adding a snarky caption to disguise the happiness she felt for the man she was intruding on.

I thought there were no pets allowed in the rOyAl PaLaCe?

Her brother answered immediately. Not surprising her in the least.

For him, I think we can make an exception.

* * *

**Translations:**

**Inkosazana**  - Princess

 **u kumkanikazi wam omncinci**  - my tiny queen

_drop a comment dolls, xo_


	9. "I'm up to the challenge." Ari x Erik.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys…I have no idea where this came from lol. This was not the prompt that I’ve been working on but I was sitting at my computer staring hard at that one and nothing was coming to me. I shifted through a few documents and came across this prompt given to me a long time ago by my babes @abeautifulmindexposed. I wanted to write something cute and fluffy that only just kept the wheel moving between these two. So, here it is! #57: “I’m up to the challenge.” I hope you love it!

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“How hard could it be, Ari?” Erik asked as he took the detangling brush from her hands to add to the growing pile of products and tools that she’d ferried from the bathroom to the couch. He opened his legs, dropping a pillow between them. “Sit.”

Skepticism was drawn all over his favorite girl’s brow as she regarded him. She was _cute_ , always was. But standing in front of him, her hair in a mass of unruly wet curls that were dripping all over her black Dragon Ball t-shirt, her lips bunched in the corner of her cheek, she was _adorable_.

He wanted to devour her.

“You know my hair is _thick,_ right?”

He rolled his eyes to the heavens.

 _Not the only thing on you that is, Princess,_ Killmonger chuckled.

That…wasn’t wrong.

_Focus._

“Yeah, I’m the one who you conned into rubbing hair oil into your scalp last week. Remember?”

It hadn’t taken much effort on her part, just a bat of her lashes and a very small pout that he wanted to _lick._ But he had to put up some kind of front. Couldn’t let the girl completely know he was a cup of KFC mashed potatoes in her hands…

“Yes, just like I remember you almost lost a few fingers in the process.”

She was so _dramatic_. And stubborn. She crossed her arms, this was a dead end.

Erik switched tact.

“I just watched you do like a third of your head, Princess.”

“It’s not as easy as it looks, _Erik_ ,” she sassed back making his cheek twitch as he fought another smile. He loved it when she was sassy.

“ **I’m up to the challenge,** ” he told her before pointing back down to the pillow and lifting a lone, playful brow. “ _Sit._ ”

Her hesitation was still present but Erik understood. He knew that she had a meticulous hair regime. Letting someone take the reigns was probably not something she did very often. Especially if that someone was of the opposite sex.

Pouring sincerity into his gaze, he locked eyes with her, silently asking her to give this to him. It took a minute but he could almost see her resolve to crumble. Glossy lips twitching up at the corner before she tossed up her hands to hide her reaction.

_Bingo._

“You’re so bossy,” she mumbled and dropped down to the pillow, folding her legs and crossing her arms over her chest.

“And you’re a brat.” His _favorite_ type.

The Harman Kardon speaker beeped to life on her entertainment center as Erik picked up the wet tresses closest to his hands.

“Whatever. Just be gentle with my scalp.”

Gentle, he could do that. 

Erik took his time performing the hair process the way he’d seen her do in the mirror. Spraying a section with the bottle of rice water she’d pulled from her refrigerator before he gentle sectioned it off. Laser-focused in as he added the lightweight product Ari called “pre-poo” from root to tip before he racked his fingers through. The strands were slick, bouncing back towards her in perfectly spiraled coils, making his eyes widen slightly in humorous surprise. 

This shit was easy, she had been tripping. Erik Stevens, ex-assassin, prince of a formerly secret sovereign country, and hairdresser. He sniffed a silent laugh as he twisted the section together to move to the next. He would have never thought he’d be adding that skill set to his repertoire. 

It didn’t take her too long to finally relax. Tapping her socked foot against the blush-colored faux fur rug beneath her. Airy humming slowly turned into softly murmured singing as she played solitaire on her phone. She liked Beyonce. He liked this song too.

_Stop making a big deal out of the little things//Cause I got big deals and I got little things//Got everything I’m asking for but you//Stop making a big deal out of the little things, let’s get carried away//Come right now, you know where I stay_

Contentment settled deeply in Erik’s chest. This is exactly what he’d needed after the day he’d had. His girl between his legs, her soft voice mellowing him out. All he was missing was a blunt. And maybe a few rough tumbles in the bed in her room. He went slower than he probably should have, savoring the moment for as long as he could. Giving her temples a gentle massage when he reached the front of her head, baby hairs like silk under his fingertips. 

Her head lolled back, eyes rolling in her sockets with a deep moan that had him biting his lip.

“That feels _so good_.”

How could this tiny woman be both his taste of heaven and the inviting flames of hell?

It felt like things were over before he really got the chance to enjoy it. 

 _All good things come to an end,_ Erik thought bitterly as he twisted the last section in the middle of her head. 

“Done.”

Eyes lightened to cinnamon looked up at him. The setting sun filtered through her open blinds, tossing intricate shadows on her skin and painting her in a golden light that he knew matched her aura. 

“That quick?” she chirped as her hand came up to feel his work. 

Erik pulled the towel off her shoulders to rub the products off his fingers. She was doubting him, again.

“Told you the shit wasn’t hard, Ari.”

She pushed herself up and towards the bathroom and Erik found himself following her automatically. 

“You didn’t even use the detangling brush,” she accused and stepped into the bathroom. She pulled each twist, testing his handiwork while the shit-eating grin grew on his face behind her.  

“Well?”  

Her smile was sly when she looked at him in the mirror. 

“You did well young grasshopper.” 

Always a comedian. Erik just shook her head while she turned on the faucet in her tub. 

He blinked, “You getting in the shower to rinse it out?”

“Always do,” she told him with a slow nod of her head. “I’ll only be a few.”

Erik licked his lips. Ari in the shower…that was a _hell_ of a mental image. Lechery poured across his features as he gave her a gold-capped grin and stepped forward. 

“You need some more assistance?” he offered, his voice a bass-filled purr he knew would make her blush and pause. 

_Like that._

“S-shut up and order my gyro,” she said as she planted her warm palms on his chest and pushed him out the door. “Remember, no onions or tomatoes and extra chicken. Be right back.”

She closed the door in his face. Access denied. 

Erik shook his head, not really mad at all, and made his way back to the living room for his phone to order their dinner. 

“Ungrateful shrimp.”

* * *

_drop a comment._


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